Rock bands, Navajo tacos and traditional Native American dances will populate the Heard Museum’s outside plaza and building halls during the fifty-fifth Indian Fair and Market Saturday and Sunday.
The American Indian Art and History museum’s annual event showcases the rich history and culture of Native American tribes. It brings together 100 tribes from across the nation to the galleries, art, food and performances.
It is the largest Indian market in Arizona, and will host nearly 20,000 people over the course of the two-day event.
The Heard Museum, located along the light rail near Central Avenue and Encanto Boulevard, is dedicated to portraying the history of Native Americans in a sensitive and truthful way through the perspective of art. Communications Manager Mark Scarp said the history is still alive and integrated into Native American culture today.
“The museum has plenty exhibits that show Indians of the past and what they are doing today,” Scarp said. “But what is remarkable is that the current generation is doing the same things that their ancestors did in the past.”
Art is a major component of the fair. This year, several galleries in the museum will be open for viewing, live art demonstrations will take place, and pottery, jewelry, Katsina dolls and rugs will be for sale, handcrafted by some of the 700 Native American artists.
This year’s theme, “Weaving Worlds with Wool,” pays homage to the traditional style of creating wool textiles from the loom. This craft, which takes patience and persistence to perfect, is a Navajo tradition. Loom weaver Marlowe Katoney, 36, said a story is woven between the rug’s threads.
Katoney created the “Angry Birds Tree of Life” tapestry, which illustrates 14 red birds like the character on the popular touch-screen game. The birds surround a large green tree standing in different positions. Weaving is a way for Katoney to stay connected to his heritage, he said.
“Weaving is important because it is your lifeline. It connects you to your mom, your grandma and keeps us connected all together,” Katoney said.
Because Katoney was immersed in art at an early age, he felt that he was born to be an artist.
“Art was definitely something I grew up with,” Katoney said. “It’s a part of every day in Native American culture. You wake up and enjoy the beauty of the world around you and try to incorporate that into the art that you create.”
Katoney studied painting at the University of Arizona but later began weaving after his grandmother convinced him it was his true calling in art. Katoney said he tends not to follow a particular formula when creating his rugs, but instead strives to make each one original. In his piece “Angry Birds Tree of Life,” Katoney said he worked hard to make sure that every bird had a different expression on its face.
“I did it specifically to add dialogue to the piece,” Katoney said, “to make it have a different dimension that’s different.”
Navajo weaver Lola Cody works from scratch to create her tapestries, starting with collecting and washing wool from the sheep she owns, putting it on the loom and weaving it together to create a pattern. Her favorite piece, which is 7.5 feet by 10 feet long, took her nearly two years to create.
“I lose myself in weaving. I forget everything around me and just concentrate on what I am doing,” Cody said. “I am constantly challenging myself to be better, to explore new areas.”
Cody started learning to weave by watching her grandmother and mother, and by the time she was five she was weaving on her own. She is one of the few artists who can create separate patterns on different sides of the rug– an art of its own. The artist has to think about the two patterns simultaneously while working on one side. Cody said she pushes herself to think of art and weaving in new ways, especially in the form of abstract art.
Cody’s inspiration comes from the beauty of nature, and her works are often named after landmarks around her. Her favorite piece is called “The Grandfall,” named after the natural waterfall near where she lives.
Cody said the fair provides a platform for sharing cultural heritage.
“Weaving is now an art that the younger generations are learning and I’m glad,” Cody said. “The fair is good because it promotes all types of arts.”
Music and dance performances from a variety of artists and musicians will be exhibited at the fair. From the Dineh Tah’ Navajo dancers, who tell traditional Navajo stories through their dances, to The Plateros, a family blues rock band, the performance groups blend together the past culture with the modern world.
There will be live cooking demonstrations on how to make authentic Native American cuisine, such as a chocolate mesquite cake and a desert tepary bean salad. Several food specialties, including fry bread and Navajo tacos, will also be for sale at various booths.
More than 20 authors are expected to attend the event including Laura Tohe, author of “Code Talker Stories,” and Patrick Grady, author of “Out of the Ruins.”
Single-day tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for Heard Museum members. Two-day passes are $30 per person, and the two-day deluxe passes, which include admission into the best-of-show reception, are $125 for non-members and $100 for members.
Contact the reporter at lauren.l.clark@asu.edu
